That might not be the reality on Richmond streets and Wayne County roads this summer and next, but it's likely going to feel that way as multiple road improvement projects kick in at the same time.

Several projects already have begun, and orange barrels are popping up faster than weeds.

Starting Monday, work will begin to replace the eastbound and westbound bridges carrying Interstate 70 over Indiana 121/New Paris Pike on Richmond's east side.

Initially, I-70 traffic will be shifted toward the right shoulders and away from the median and there will be overnight lane closures on I-70 between Indiana 227 and U.S. 40. As the project progresses, Ind. 121 might be closed for as many as 60 days. However, contractors intend to use a traffic signal on Ind. 121 as much as possible during the construction.

The I-70 bridge project is one of many the Indiana Department of Transportation will have underway in Wayne County this year and in 2018.

If drivers can maintain their patience, they will see the rewards as INDOT invests more than $43 million in area roadways.

That doesn't take into account the nearly $2.5 million in Community Crossings grants issued for this construction year for road projects in Richmond, Centerville and Wayne County, plus INDOT's contribution to the Stellar Communities streets project in Richmond.

Here's a breakdown on where to avoid driving during the coming months:

RICHMOND

• U.S. 40 East, including East Main Street and National Road East between 11th Street and I-70.

Project: Complete the patching and resurfacing begun in 2016. Traffic might be limited, but the road won't close.

Time frame: Work will begin as soon as temperatures are consistently warm enough for asphalt producers to start operating the plants. That could be yet this month. The project should be complete in May.

Cost: $2.6 million.

• U.S. 40 West, including National Road West between South West First and 17th streets.

Time frame: Curb work to begin in April, with paving to follow. Scheduled for completion by September.

Cost: $766,000.

• U.S. 27 South and U.S. 40 eastbound.

Project: Phase 1 involves southbound U.S. 27 from the Whitewater River bridge near the former Reid Hospital property south to the South O Street overpass. It includes straightening southbound U.S. 27 near the North C Street intersection, rebuilding Ind. 121/North J Street near its intersection with U.S. 27 and rebuilding both directions of U.S. 27 between North B Street and the Whitewater River (excluding the bridge over the railroad).

Traffic will be limited to one lane in each direction between North B Street and the Whitewater River bridge, and access to and from intersecting streets will be closed temporarily at times.

Phase 2 involves rebuilding southbound U.S. 27 between North C Street and the South O Street overpass while phase 3 involves rebuilding U.S. 40 (South A Street) from the Lamar Lundy Bridge east to 11th Street and South 11th Street between South A and East Main streets.

Precast panels will be installed on South A and 11th streets as part of a pilot project for the state.

Time frame: Phase 1 began March 27 and should be completed this fall. Phase 2 time begins this month and will continue through summer 2018. Phase 3 will begin in spring 2018 and be completed by year end.

Cost: $23.9 million.

• Stellar Communities work.

(Note: Postponed until 2018 by INDOT.)

Project: Improvements to North Seventh Street from East Main to the Historic Depot District; East Main from First to Seventh streets; and North and South 10th streets between the 10th Street Park and the former Pennsylvania Railroad Depot.

Work will include adding a bicycle lane, pedestrian crossings and landscaping. The median in the 500 block of East Main Street will be removed, and there will be some straightening of the street between the Whitewater River Gorge and Seventh Street. Between Seventh and 10th streets, the majority of the work will be landscaping improvements. On North 10th Street, parking will be limited to one side to add a bicycle path.

Time frame: INDOT received three bids on the project April 12. Once a contractor is selected, the city will learn the schedule for the 18-month project. Work is expected to begin this year.

Cost: Budgeted at $6.25 million. The bids ranged between $5.9 and $6.6 million.

• North 20th Street bridge, between North E and North J streets.

Project: Total reconstruction includes replacing concrete beams with steel beams to provide more clearance for trains below the overpass.

Time frame: Work began in April and is expected to continue through December.

Cost: Just fewer than $2 million.

• South A Street, between South 37th Street and Garwood Road; Backmeyer Road, between Henley Road and South 37th Street; Hunter's Pointe Drive, between Hodgin Road and the dead end; Breckenridge Drive, between Woodgate Way and 100 feet east of Barrington Ridge; Woodgate Way, between Henley Road and the dead end; Barrington Ridge, between Breckenridge Drive and Hodgin Road; and South 19th Street, between East Main and South A streets.

Project: Milling and repaving. Traffic might be limited, but the roads won't close.

Time frame: Projects will begin April 26 and be completed consecutively. Work is anticipated to finish within about one month.

Cost: These streets are part of the 10 Community Crossings grant projects.

• Industrial Parkway, south from National Road East

Project: Milling, repaving and some reconstruction of failed areas. Traffic might be limited but the road won't close.

Timeframe: Sometime in 2017, project bids not yet awarded.

Cost: One of the city's 10 Community Crossings grant projects.

RICHMOND, CENTERVILLE and WAYNE COUNTY

• Gaar-Jackson and Round Barn roads.

Project: Reclamation and widening to improve the roads for Blue Buffalo's new 400,000-square-foot facility for manufacturing, packaging, research and development being constructed in the Midwest Industrial Park. Rebuilding the road will implement a process new to Wayne County during which the present road base is ground up and cement is added to create a new base. Asphalt then is laid on top.

Time frame: Work is expected to begin this year, but right-of-way still is being secured for some portions.

Cost: Makes use of Community Crossings grant monies received by Richmond, Centerville and Wayne County.

HAGERSTOWN

• Indiana 38 bridge over a tributary of the Whitewater River at the edge of Hagerstown.

Cost: Makes use of Community Crossings grant monies received by Wayne County.

• Whitewater Road culvert between Cart and Elliott roads; Pleasant Plain Road culvert between U.S. 27 and Arba Pike; and Brick Church Road culvert between Turnpike and Bear Creek roads.

Project: Complete three culvert replacements with total road closure.

Time frame: Work begins in September, and the three culverts will be completed consecutively.

Cost: Not available.

• Two Ind. 38 bridges, between U.S. 35 and Centerville Road.

Project: Bridge deck replacement over the Nolands Fork and bridge deck overlay repair over Long Creek, with total road closure.

Time frame: Starting about May 1 and lasting up to 90 days.

Cost: $868,000.

• Four projects on U.S. 35, between Richmond and Indiana 1.

Projects: Replacing the culvert at Morgan Creek west of Carlos Road between Williamsburg and Economy in July; replacing the culvert at Cain Ditch, immediately north of Indiana 38 in July and August; rehabbing the bridge over Martindale Creek between Jacksonburg and Charles roads west of Economy in August and September; and paving from Interstate 70 to Indiana 38 in September. Only one section of the road will close at a time.

Time frame: After the July 4 holiday through September.

Cost: $3.1 million.

• Indiana 1 bridge over I-70

Project: Bridge replacement with lane restrictions.

Time frame: Began in March and is expected to be completed in November.

Cost: $2 million.

• East and westbound I-70 over Ind. 121/New Paris Pike

Project: Total bridge replacement using accelerated bridge construction, where the bridge decks are build adjacent to the existing structure. When a bridge deck is complete, traffic will shift across the median for up to 13 days while the existing bridge is demolished and the new structure is slid into place. This the first time Indiana has used the process on dry land. It previously was used to replace a bridge over the Ohio River.

Project work will include I-70 and Ind. 121 lane closures, with possible complete closure of Ind. 121 up to 60 days.

Time frame: Work begins Monday and is expected to be completed by June 2018.